Balance of Power
by Lady Braxton
Summary: When the Caretaker’s Array falls into the hands of the Kazon, the crew struggles to survive in hostile territory.  Meanwhile, tensions rise among Janeway, Cavit, and Chakotay.  AU.
1. Good Intentions

Note: This is my take on the first season, very AU but there are no rewritten scenes. It begins a couple weeks after "Caretaker". For fans of Seven, Kes, Neelix, and Tom Paris, these characters should show up soon. This chapter is mainly setup, but the action will start soon. Bear with me (and review!)

Chapter One: Good Intentions

Day 1

Janeway

"It looks like you've come across something interesting after all, Commander." I survey my surroundings; more desert, predictably, stretching out as far as the eye can see... And something else. The ground is strewn with twisted scraps of metal and stray sandy-colored bricks. At the sheltered area near the base of the mountains, a small cluster of buildings are still standing.

"My team was assigned to explore the northern plateaus," Commander Cavit says. "While we were unable to find any sources of food or water, we did come across this."

"The remains of an Ocampa settlement?" I ask.

"That's what we thought at first. But it seems that the original inhabitants took most of their possessions with them when they left, which has made it difficult to gather any useful information about them. And it doesn't help that most of the buildings were leveled by tremors when the Caretaker sealed the entrance to the underground settlement. We have managed to find some evidence of the people who lived here, though, that seems to point to a different conclusion. Ensign Stadi recovered this old energy weapon, as well as several other artifacts."

Cavit indicates a rusting phaser that the Ensign holds in her hand. I pick it up carefully, turning it over and examining its design.

"The power signature is consistent with Kazon technology," Cavit continues. "We'll have to run some more scans in engineering to make sure, but it seems the most likely explanation at the moment. We're guessing they built a settlement here to mine the planet's rich cormaline ore deposits, and eventually abandoned it when the ore supply was depleted."

"Is there any way of telling how long ago the Kazon left here? Or, more importantly, whether there's any chance they'll come back?"

"I'd say it's been at least four months since anyone set foot here, but that's a fairly rough estimate."

"Well, Carey tells me that he's almost finished repairs," I reply, still gazing intently at the weapon in my hand. The silver metal glitters in the sunlight. "We should be out of here in a few days."

"That's a small mercy, at least. After three weeks here, I'd be content never to see another desert in my life."

"Agreed. I just hope we're not too late."

Cavit grimaces, choosing not to respond.

Chakotay

"How long does she plan on keeping us here!?" B'Elanna drives a fist into one of the room's metallic walls, and winces in pain as the wall fights back.

"I don't like it either, but attacking the bulkheads won't get us anywhere," I say hurriedly, in case she's preparing for another round. "I've spoken with Captain Janeway. She assured me that we'll be on our way to meet with the _Val Jean _in a matter of days."

"That's not what I meant, Chakotay." B'Elanna grimaces and rubs her knuckles, then continues. "Judging by what you've told me about the damage to _Voyager, _we could have been out of here in half the time with a competent engineer supervising repairs. Carey just isn't qualified for this sort of thing!"

"I asked the Captain if you could be allowed to help out in engineering, she said she'd consider it."

"It's that first officer," Seska says, rising from her seat on one of the bunks in the room to face us. "You've said it yourself, he _hates _the Maquis."

"We're _all_ going to have to learn to work together eventually," I say pointedly.

"We don't have to stay with Starfleet, we have a ship of our own!" B'Elanna protests. "We can separate from them, make our own rules..."

"That's assuming that Dalby's even waiting for us," Seska says. "I doubt he'd mind terribly if he was 'forced'to take command due to the _tragic _disappearance of the ship's two highest-ranking officers. Did you ever tell him you planned on cooperating with Starfleet, before we came back for her?" She jerks her head towards B'Elanna, whose face takes on a half-guilty, half-angry expression.

_She must blame herself for our being stranded here. I suppose it makes sense... we were only down on the planet's surface to look for her._

"I don't think I ever mentioned my plans, no," I say out loud.

"At least that's something," Seska says. "I doubt he would've liked the idea much."

"The adjustment will take a while for all of us, but I'm confident that it will work out in the end. We're stronger together than apart."

"I wish the Captain shared your confidence, Chakotay," B'Elanna says.

I sigh. "I'll talk to her again for all of us. I promise. Deal?"

"And do it quickly, _please. _I'll go stir-crazy if I have to spend any longer locked up in here!" A pause. "Thanks, Chakotay."

Day 15

Cavit

"Let's keep this quick, there's no time to spare," the Captain says. "Carey, how are repairs coming?"

"That was the third attack this week," the Lieutenant replies. "We've lost over half the engineering staff, and frankly, the ones I've got left are nowhere near enough to keep up with this sort of work."

"How long until we have primary systems back?" I ask.

"At least another day, no sooner."

"It's not good enough," Janeway says quietly, lifting her head from her hands to look straight at the engineer. Her hair is disheveled and there are dark circles under her eyes. I know she hasn't slept for at least 24 hours; the Kazon have seen to that.

"They could be back to finish us off any minute," she continues. "We need to get out of here as soon as possible. I'm authorizing you to use any personnel from other departments with basic engineering training if your own people aren't enough."

From across the table, Doctor Fitzgerald watches her intently. He looks grim and tired. Carey nods, still apprehensive.

"Are there any other urgent matters that need to be addressed?" Janeway asks.

"I've plotted a course that keeps us at least five light-years from all known Kazon outposts, like you asked," Stadi says, "but we could lose the _Val Jean_'s warp trail if we take it."

"We can't risk another confrontation with the Kazon," says the Captain. "Do it." She glances over at Chakotay, trying to discern some hint of his feelings regarding this decision. The Maquis leader keeps his face carefully blank.

"That's all," she says. "Dismissed."

I don't move. Neither does Chakotay.

Janeway

I look up to see Cavit and Chakotay still seated as the rest of the senior staff file out the door. "If we could have a word, Captain..." Chakotay says.

_Those two, working together?_ That seems out of character; they've done nothing but disagree since Chakotay's arrival on _Voyager_. Up until recently, Cavit has been openly critical of my plan to cooperate with the Maquis, and he was furious when I told him that I intended to make Chakotay _Voyager_'s first officer once we reunite with the _Val Jean_.

"We're both concerned about _Voyager_'s well-being," Cavit says, as if he's read my mind. "I don't know how much longer we can survive like this, constantly on the run from the Kazon. So far we've only encountered one sect, the Ogla. But who knows how many more hostile ones there are out there? They could be spread out across sectors. Truth is, at the moment, we're surrounded."

"What are you suggesting?" I ask, reasonably sure that whatever it is, I'm not going to like it.

"We've talked about this at length, and we've both agreed, we'll need allies if we're going to survive."

"If you're proposing a treaty with the Ogla, we've already discussed this, I'm not about to––"

"No, not the Ogla," Chakotay interrupts. He offers me the PADD in his hand; I take it.

"A map of this sector?" I ask.

"Yes. Look at this..." He traces the line marking the suspected boundary of Ogla territory with a finger. "Some of the locals have told us that the Ogla from the abandoned settlement on Ocampa were previously under siege by a rival sect, the Nistrim, who also had designs on the Caretaker's Array. But their warships were able to rebuff the Nistrim fleet back into their area of space, reportedly several parsecs from the Ocampa system."

Nodding, I look up at Chakotay and Cavit from the display in my hand.

"Our sensors have also picked up several recent warp trails from Ogla ships." He presses a button on the PADD to add a series of lines indicating the recent paths taken by the Kazon vessels. "Note that none of them pass this boundary, except for one." He points.

"It took several tries to pick up this signature––it's been masked very well," Cavit adds. "It also seems that it was generated by a ship with a slightly different engine configuration than the one used by the Ogla. We think that this was a small Nistrim scout ship, sent to gather intel on the location Maje Jabin's fleet then return without being detected."

"Your point?"

"We're now reasonably sure that we know the exact location of the Nistrim, and as the saying goes... the enemy of my enemy is my friend. If we can get there, we may be able to negotiate an alliance."

Both fall silent. "We'd be heading away from the rendezvous coordinates," I finally say.

"Then we can locate the _Val Jean _later, when we have backup," Chakotay says. "It shouldn't be too hard, with an entire fleet on our side. I trust Dalby to keep her in one piece while I'm gone."

"And if this falls through?"

"I guess that's a risk we'll have to take," says Cavit.

"You know we can't let them have any sort of weapons technology."

"I'm sure they'd settle for shielding, propulsion... anything we can give them."

"I can't believe I'm actually considering this," I say, after a long pause. "It goes against everything Starfleet and the Prime Directive stand for."

"We're a long way from Starfleet," the Commander replies grimly.

"That doesn't change the fact that it's a proverbial deal with the devil."

"I don't like it either, but while we're on the subject of Earth platitudes, desperate times call for desperate measures. We have our people's safety in mind. Right now, that's all that matters."

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions," I shoot back. "I want to make it perfectly clear, if the Nistrim are anything like the Ogla, I have no intention of giving them technology that could help them dominate this region. Our safety isn't worth that much."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Cavit says.

"I need time to consider, and speak with the rest of the senior staff. I'll have an answer for you by the time we reach the border."

Both men nod in agreement.

"All right, I'll call a meeting of the senior staff as soon as we're out of this nebula and moving again. Until then, I want you to do anything you can to help with repairs."

"Actually, I meant to ask you about that," says Chakotay. "B'Elanna Torres and Seska would like to be allowed to help Lieutenant Carey's people in Engineering––as a gesture of good faith."

"Permission granted. I'm sure they'll make a valuable addition to the staff."

"Captain, I––" Cavit begins.

I cut him off. "We'll discuss this later, Commander." He stops mid-sentence, his face taking on a surly expression. He and Chakotay lock eyes. _So much for their newfound friendship._

_What have I done? _I ask myself as both start to move towards the door. _A good percentage of my crew is dead. I'm working with a outlaw who, a month ago, I was intent on capturing and bringing in for trial by the Federation. And now I'm seriously considering forming an alliance with a group of people who are probably no more than an interplanetary coalition of thugs bent on conquering this quadrant, all in blatant violation of the Prime Directive._

I should have just told them no in the first place... But where would that leave us? In the middle of hostile territory with no help in sight, and I'm not quite ready to face that reality yet. It will still be about a week until we reach the border. I have that long to think.

I can't help thinking that maybe, if I'd had a little more experience, if I'd made better decisions under pressure, we would still be safe in the Alpha Quadrant. I know it's... _illogical_, as Tuvok might say. _There's no point in second-guessing. The Caretaker was responsible for this, and nothing you might or might not have done can change that_.

I still remember it in perfect detail; our narrow escape from the Ocampa settlement, Cavit's rushed explanation that the Maquis had been forced to flee to avoid further damage to the _Val Jean_, effectively stranding Chakotay, Seska, and the newly rescued B'Elanna Torres on _Voyager_. And the Caretaker's final words... "Self-destruct has been disabled. This installation must be destroyed!"

But before we could fire a tricobalt device, a lucky shot from the lead Ogla vessel crippled _Voyager_'s weapons systems. I was faced with the hardest decision of my life: run, or ram the Array, destroying _Voyager _and everyone on it, with no guarantee that the plan would even work. And that was one sacrifice I was not willing to make.

_I just hope I made the right decision_._ Then _and _now._


	2. The Border

Chapter Two: The Border

Day 21

Janeway

"Captain, I'm reading three Kazon warships approaching our position!" Harry says, disrupting the unusual calm that has fallen over _Voyager_'s bridge.

"Why didn't we detect them before?" Cavit asks.

"I'm not sure... the radiation from the nebula must be disrupting our sensors somehow."

"The ships are assuming a tactical formation around us," says Tuvok. "Raising shields."

"Red alert! Stadi, get us out of here, warp 9!" I order. The bridge lights dim, and the panels lining the walls flash red. But before the Betazoid pilot can respond to my command, _Voyager _shakes from Kazon weapons' fire.

"_Carey to Janeway, that last hit cut right through our shields and damaged our warp drive!_" The Lieutenant's voice comes through distorted by the ship's comm system. "_They're using some sort of advanced weaponry I've never seen before!_"

"How long until you can fix them?"

"_At least half an hour._"

Another volley sends me flying out of my chair. Next to me, Chakotay grabs the arms of his seat, barely managing to avoid ramming into Cavit. _I'll have to ask Carey to install seatbelts once this is over_,I think, and clamber to my feet. "Tuvok––return fire!"

"Why aren't our shields doing any good!?" Cavit says.

"They seem to be using weapons technology adapted from that of the Caretaker's Array. I am attempting to remodulate shields to compensate."

"I had no idea they'd be able to reverse engineer anything useful this quickly..." I mutter, and brush my hair out of my eyes. It's fallen out of its immaculate bun, but to say that I don't have time to worry about that now would be an understatement.

The viewscreen shows the lead ship firing again, but this time _Voyager_'s shields absorb nearly all of the blast. "Modifications are holding," Tuvok says.

"There's another ship approaching..." Harry begins.

"Reinforcements?"

"I don't think so––it has a slightly different warp signature. There's a good chance it's a Nistrim scout ship––we're only a few days away from where we guessed their space began."

I hesitate. "We could use all the help we can get," says Cavit, sensing my indecision. "They might be willing to come to our rescue if we tell them that we're interested in an alliance."

"He's right," Chakotay says.

Another explosion sends sparks flying. I don't know how much longer _Voyager _can survive this...

"Captain!" Cavit prompts.

It's time to make the call. I glance at him, then order, "Hail them."

Cavit gives a brief nod of approval.

"Opening hailing frequencies," Harry says.

The image of a tall Kazon man fills the viewscreen. "I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship _Voyager,_" I begin, giving my longer title for full effect.

"This is Koral of the Kazon Nistrim. You are trespassing in our territory. Prepare to be boarded."

I can tell he's about to cut off the transmission. "Wait!"

He looks back up at us and smirks wordlessly.

"I'll destroy this ship rather than allow your people to capture it, but it doesn't have to come to that." I'm talking quickly, painfully aware of the fact that the Ogla might find a way to break through Tuvok's shield modifications at any moment. "We're willing to make a deal, an alliance of sorts. We give you specifications for some of _Voyager_'s systems. In exchange, you escort us and another smaller ship safely through Kazon space."

"Maje Culluh will be interested to hear your offer," he says. "I will take you to speak with him. Koral out."

"He's opening fire on the Ogla," says Harry.

"Tuvok, status?" Cavit asks.

"The lead warship is disabled. The others' shields are at 45 and 83, respectively, and falling. The third's main plasma cannons are damaged; they've fallen back on secondary systems." A moment later: "They're withdrawing."

"Damage reports are coming in," Cavit says grimly, breaking the euphoric mood on the bridge. "Warp engines are still offline, and shields are nearly depleted. Decks thirteen through fifteen have taken heavy damage. There are six crew members with minor injuries; Doctor Fitzgerald is treating them now."

"The Nistrim are hailing us," Harry says.

"On screen."

"The First Maje is currently attending a conference of the senior Askara and several other allied sects on the planet Rakara V," says Koral. "I will escort you there. I'm transmitting the coordinates now."

"You may have noticed that our warp engines were damaged in the conflict," I reply. "We'll have to travel at impulse speed for at least the next day."

"Very well. But complete repairs soon––at that speed, the journey will take weeks."

I nod. "I'm sure my engineers are working as fast as they can."

"Good. Koral out."

"Well, he's refreshingly blunt," Chakotay says, breaking the silence. Next to him, Cavit grunts in agreement.

Ensign Stadi swivels her chair around to look in our direction. "I've received Koral's flight plan," she says. "It will take us across the border and deep into Nistrim space."

Chakotay, Cavit, and I crowd in around the conn. "It looks fairly straightforward," Cavit says. "Once we have warp speed back, it should only take a few days to get there."

"What's to stop them from just ambushing us and seizing _Voyager _as soon as we arrive at Rakara?" Chakotay asks.

He's got a point. "I'm hoping they'll try diplomacy first, when they realize that we're willing to self-destruct if necessary," I say. "But if the alliance doesn't work out... it's a distinct possibility. We'll have to be prepared to transport out of wherever negotiations are being held and escape at high speed if necessary. They won't be able to match any velocity above warp 7 for long, if at all. We should be able to outrun them easily."

"Should I lay in a course?" Stadi asks.

"Do it." I try to sound confident for the bridge crew's sake, but somehow, I can't shake the feeling that I'm making a serious mistake.

One day later Carey has warp engines back online, and I sit in my ready room sipping a cup of black coffee and watching the stars streak by as _Voyager_ passes further and further into Nistrim space.

Day 25

Carey

"There's something I need to tell you," I say. The Captain nods intently and takes a sip of her coffee, then hands me a mug as well.

"What's on your mind?" she asks.

_Where to start? _I wonder. "I... received a disturbing message about ten minutes ago," I finally begin. "I don't remember the exact wording, but... it hinted at plans for a mutiny aboard _Voyager._"

Janeway's eyes become more alert, and she sits up taller in her chair, leaning forward to look directly at me. "Do you have a copy of this message that I could examine?" she asks.

"It was text only, and set to automatically delete itself exactly five minutes after I opened it. About a minute before that, I realized it might happen, and copied down about half." I hand her a PADD. She examines it, her expression growing more worried with every sentence.

"I'll have to tell Tuvok and Cavit as soon as possible..." she mutters, then, to me, "I'm sure you understand that it would be best to keep such a delicate matter from the rest of the crew for the time being. Will you promise me that you won't mention a word of this to anyone?"

I nod vigorously.

"I'd like to have Tuvok attempt to trace the message to its original source. He'll need to use your computer terminal, with your permission."

"Of course. Anything to keep _Voyager _safe."

She pauses and looks down at the cup of coffee in her hand, then glances back up at me. She looks like she's about to do something she may regret later. "I'm glad you feel that way," she says. "In that case, there's one more thing. If this... _person _contacts you again, I want you to pretend to be interested in their plan, play along with them. A time may come when we need a spy on the inside of their movement. I don't want to order you to do this, I know it could put you in danger, but... you know what's at stake."

I can hear my pulse pounding in my ears. _I'm an engineer, not some sort of double agent! _I want to shout, but I know she's right. This is too important _not_ to risk my own life for. "I accept," I say, trying to sound resolute.

Day 27

Chakotay

Three hours until Rakara.

_Voyager_'s crew is on edge. An air of deadly calm hangs about the corridors, seeming to stifle all sound. I've talked to B'Elanna and Seska. They seem supportive of the plan, as far as I can tell. Now, all we can do is wait.

I'm standing outside the door of Janeway's ready room. I've been on the bridge with a clear view of that door for hours, and as far as I know, she hasn't left since.

"Enter!" I hear her shout.

I take a deep breath and open the sliding door. _Voyager_'s captain sits at her desk, coffee cup in hand, examining something on her computer screen. That must be on her fifth cup by now, at least. "Only a few hours until we reach Rakara," she says.

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"No––I have to follow through with this." She's trying to convince herself, not me, and we both know it. The mug in her hand is empty. She looks down at it vacantly and steps over to the replicator. "Can I get you anything?" she asks.

"Just an herbal tea, thank you."

She hands me a porcelain teacup with a delicate pattern of gold paint around the edge. I take a sip, noting the pleasant peppermint flavor, and say, "You look troubled."

Her face takes on a guarded look. "Yes... I'd be lying if I said I was completely certain that we're doing the right thing."

"I have something that might help you order your thoughts." She eyes me with interest as I assemble the contents of my medicine bundle––a river stone, a blackbird's feather, and the Akoonah––on her desk.

"What is it?" she asks.

"It's a device my people use, to perform what we call a vision quest. It allows me to commune with my animal guide, a sort of... helpful spirit that takes the form of a familiar animal, or to speak with the spirits of my ancestors."

"What do I do?"

"Place your hand on the Akoonah," I instruct. "Try to calm your mind. Think of a place where you felt completely at peace..."

Janeway

I close my eyes.

I can hear Chakotay intoning words in an unfamiliar language, low and hypnotic, then switching back to something I can understand: "We are far from the sacred places of our grandfathers, we are far from the bones of our people..."

All sound fades away. I can feel a cool sea breeze on my skin, and smell a slight hint of salt in the air.

I look around, examining my surroundings. I'm standing on the seashore, where I came with Mark the night before I left to take command of _Voyager._

"Kathryn?"

I hear a familiar voice behind me and whirl around. My father is standing there, looking just as he did when I last saw him 15 years ago, decked out in a Starfleet Admiral's uniform. He smiles and says, "Walk with me."

I'd like to believe it's him, but I can't quite bring myself to think that this is anything more than a hallucination. A remarkably realistic one, though.

Strangely, this all seems perfectly normal. _That device must put your brain into a sort of dream state, _I think, _where some part of you accepts that what's happening can't be real, but a bigger part just wants to play along._

We start to walk down the shore. When I glance behind me, I can see only one set of footprints stretching out behind us.

"You seem troubled," he says.

"That's what Chakotay just told me."

"Your new ally?"

"If all goes according to plan, within the next few days we'll be allied with more than just the Maquis."

"What brilliant plan have you pulled out of thin air now?"

"You're a figment of my subconscious mind. You should know everything I know."

"Humor me."

"All right. Long story short, we're about to open negotiations with a Kazon sect called the Nistrim, led by a man called Maje Culluh. I'm hoping to give them certain technologies in exchange for free passage through their space."

"Trading Federation technology to the enemy, Kathryn?"

"I didn't come here to be lectured by my own mind. I've had quite enough of that this last month, thanks." _This is what Chakotay does for relaxation? _I wonder.

"I never said you shouldn't do it, I was only asking questions like any good scientist would. I _am _your subconscious, remember? If you can't talk about your problems to anyone on this ship, I'm the only option left."

I resist the urge to roll my eyes at him. "They'll cease to be 'the enemy' as soon as we sign the agreement. And I won't give them weapons of any kind."

"Sound logic––any sane Vulcan would approve. So the question remains... what are you doing here?"

"You know, I'm starting to wonder myself."

"The situation must be pretty desperate if you're resorting to spiritual means to solve your problems. I think there's something you're not telling me."

I stare stubbornly at the sandstone cliffs off to the distance.

"Something involving... a mutiny, perhaps?" he prompts.

"Yes, there's that."

"And how are you addressing this threat to your security?"

"Lieutenant Tuvok is working on it, but he hasn't found any leads yet. Whoever sent that message has done a remarkably thorough job covering their tracks."

"Do you think it's the Maquis?"

"More importantly, do you think Chakotay can hear anything I'm saying? Am I hallucinating all of this, or am I actually saying it out loud––my physical body sitting in the ready room, that is?"

"The former, I think."

"Good," I say, mentally berating myself for not being more careful. What if Chakotay _was_ listening to my side of the conversation? I'd have let him in on the fact that we know about the mutiny, and that Carey is acting as a double agent. That is, if he's the one behind it all, which I still doubt.

"I've come to trust Chakotay and the others," I tell him. "I can't quite believe they would do something like that at any time, let alone while there are only three of them on board. And I know none of my people would willingly assist them."

"Which begs the question... if not the Maquis, then who?"

"I was hoping _you_ could tell _me_," I say.

"You've said it yourself, I don't know any more than you do. But I might be able to offer some advice..."

"Good. I could use some of that around now."

"Trust and loyalty are strange things," he says. "Take nothing for granted. And remember, danger can come from both outside and in."

The sound of waves lapping on the shore fades away.

I open my eyes.

Note: Next time on Balance of Power... The crew arrives at Rakara, at which point everything goes horribly wrong. Please remember to review, or else I might just have to let Culluh destroy _Voyager _in the next chapter, and big thanks to my one lonely reviewer from last chapter, and anyone who favorited this story. Anyone who can guess who's going to mutiny and when, if at all, gets a complimentary bowl of leola root stew straight from Neelix's currently-nonexistent kitchen, or some of Janeway's coffee, your pick.


	3. Rakara

Chapter Three: Rakara

Day 28

Captain's Log, Stardate 48532.4

_Voyager _is currently in orbit around Rakara. The plan is for us to beam down to a designated area, at which point we'll meet up with Koral, who will escort us to the underground council chamber. I will be conducting negotiations myself, with the help of Cavit, Stadi, and Chakotay.

Janeway

"Are you sure it is wise to allow the two most senior officers off the ship at one time, Captain?" Tuvok asks. If there is a real threat of mutiny, we would be providing the mutineers with an ideal opportunity to strike."

"I've considered it," I say, "and you've made a valid point. But Commander Cavit has had experience with similar negotiations––haven't you, Commander?"

"I helped finalize the treaty that created the Demilitarized Zone along the Cardassian-Federation border. Needless to say it hasn't made me too popular with the Maquis on the ship, but... I still believe it was for the greater good."

"I need someone with that sort of experience on my side. And I'm sure Culluh will want to be able to speak directly with me, since I'll be making the final call on whether to accept the terms of the treaty."

"It is... logical," the Vulcan admits reluctantly.

"I trust you to keep _Voyager _safe for the few hours when we're gone." I pause. "And on the bright side, in the unlikely event that there _is_ a mutiny, we'll be out of harm's way."

"And if Chakotay has orchestrated this mutiny?" Cavit asks.

"We'll be keeping a close eye on him... but I still can't quite believe that it's his doing. Tuvok, you still haven't found any leads?"

"No, Captain. Whoever sent the message was most skilled at covering his or her tracks."

"I'm starting to think the whole thing was some sort of practical joke. Don't you think we would have heard something of it before now, if it was really happening?"

Cavit nods in agreement.

"Well, I appreciate your input, Tuvok," I continue. "I'll make sure that we're armed at all times, and try to keep within comm range."

"I will also take precautions. But if you are inside a shielded compound, we will be unable to beam you out if something goes wrong."

"If you feel it's absolutely necessary, I'm authorizing you to make a subtle attempt to bypass their shields, to be used only in an emergency to beam us out. Just don't get caught––it won't help our negotiations much."

"I will keep that in mind."

"Now, we should probably start to prepare," Cavit says. "Get together any weapons or other equipment we'll be taking."

"Computer, time?" I ask.

"_1600 hours._"

"You're right, Commander. We only have about 30 minutes until we should leave."

I still have a few reports to look over before beaming down to the surface. I grab one from the top of the pile and start to scroll through, my eyes periodically darting over to the time displayed on my computer screen.

Later...

The transport site is surrounded by a battalion of armed guards––not quite the warm welcome I was hoping for. Koral, who is standing in their midst, motions for the two stationed in front of the nearest exit to move away, and I'm presented with a clear view of my surroundings.

We're standing on a city street. It's just past noon here, but the cobbles are thrown into shadow by the tall buildings on every side. This section of the city seems to be deserted, for the most part. Large numbers of armed guards do tend to do that to a place.

The rest of the away team is looking around nervously. Koral motions for us to start walking, and I lead the way with Cavit and Chakotay following. Ensign Stadi fingers the phaser at her belt for reassurance before joining us.

We eventually come to a wider street, this time filled with crowds of people. All avert their eyes rather than look straight at us, some sneaking glances when they think we aren't looking. I can't help wondering what kind of place this is, that its citizens are too afraid to even raise their heads in the presence of the Maje's personal guards. I opt to keep my doubts to myself, for the time being.

As we advance further down the street, I hear some sort of commotion to our left and crane my neck to try and catch a glimpse of what's going on. The crowds scatter before our armed escort, and I'm offered a clear view. A Kazon woman cowers against a wall. A man towers over her, with a vicious glint in his eyes. I watch as he hauls her up by an arm then pushes her violently against the wall, and backhands her viciously across the face. She whimpers and slumps to the ground, unwilling or unable to defend herself.

Koral makes no move to help. "You're one of Culluh's guards, you can't just stand here and watch!" I shout. "Do something!"

"She came out in public without covering her face. That man is well within his rights to discipline her."

For a brief moment, my eyes meet hers. The expression of pleading there hits me like a physical blow.

"She's not even trying to defend herself!"

"All females are weak," Koral says, and grins at me as if he's merely stated a well-known fact of life. In the interests of diplomacy, I bite back an angry retort.

He motions for the guards around us to begin moving again. I stay rooted to the spot.

An idea presents itself. I haven't been receiving an overwhelming amount of respect from the Nistrim thus far. This could be an opportunity to change that, and possibly save a life in the process...

I know I shouldn't be putting myself in harm's way like this, but Tuvok can always beam me out if I'm in any real danger. It's reckless, especially taking into account my current condition; with the holodecks placed off-limits in order to conserve power, my sparring skills are a little rusty. I wouldn't even have considered it before being stranded in this God-forsaken quadrant, but as they say... nothing ventured, nothing gained.

"Cavit, have Tuvok ready to beam me out of here if I need him to," I mutter, making sure the Commander is the only person who can hear me."I'll give you a signal."

I'm already moving towards the Kazon man.

"Captain..." Cavit cautions. "Are you sure––"

Koral gapes at me incredulously as I plant my feet firmly on the cobblestones and shout, "Step away from her!"

He turns slowly to face. "Who are you?"

I ignore the question. "I told you to step away."

He reaches into an inner pocket and pulls out a wickedly sharp knife, then begins to advance towards me. This is a little more than I bargained for, but I'm in too deep by now to back away. Koral will take even the slightest hesitation as a sign of cowardice, and I'm sure he'll report any information he's gathered regarding myself and _Voyager _to the Maje as soon as we reach the council room. First impressions are important.

I could just stun the man now, but it wouldn't be a fair fight. Luckily, Tuvok insisted that we all carry short knives in case the Kazon decide to confiscate our phasers, or if they employ some sort of weapons dampening system they haven't told us about.

I hold the switchblade in my right hand and begin to circle my adversary. He gives a muffled grunt of the surprise at the realization that I'm armed, just like he is. _Expecting another helpless victim? No such luck._

He stabs wildly at my right hand. My extensive Starfleet combat training takes over and I step to the side neatly, at the same time watching like a hawk for any possible weaknesses I can exploit. _He uses too much force for every attack, I'll be able to get him off-balance easily.._. Confirming my theory, my adversary barrels past me and turns, furious.

_And then there's the temper. That might or might not work to my advantage._

He begins his attack again with renewed energy. I block wildly, ducking and dodging to avoid the flashing blade, and wishing for a longer weapon. Though a bat'leth isn't a very practical choice for an away mission, it's much easier to block with than a five-inch blade.

His last strike grazes the palm of my left hand slightly as I try to block. It's a shallow cut; I ignore it, dropping and rolling to come up on my enemy's left side. He lunges at me, but comes up short and stumbles, and I begin my own sequence, trying to back him up against the wall. Finally, one of my attacks gets through, leaving a gash down his right arm. His fingers loosen momentarily, and I kick out at him wildly. My boot connects. The knife flies from his hand and clatters to a rest on the cobbles.

Now, I have my opponent pinned up against the wall with my uninjured arm. I'm breathing quickly, and my hair is drenched in sweat. Without saying a word, I release him and start to back up slowly. He stares at me in disbelief for a moment, then turns quickly and runs as a ripple of laughter passes through the large crowd of watchers that has gathered around us.

Cavit, Chakotay and Stadi rush up to me. "You're bleeding..." Chakotay says, concerned.

I look down at the injured hand. I can barely even feel it. "It's just a shallow cut, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure you don't want to go back to _Voyager?_" Stadi asks.

"I said, I'll be fine."

Cavit glowers at me ferociously. "You shouldn't have done that," he hisses under his breath. "You had no way of knowing what kind of combat training that man had. It was reckless."

"I wasn't about to walk into negotiations with a group of people who automatically assume that I'm 'weak' and not worth dealing with. They're a warrior culture. I'm guessing that went a long way towards earning their respect. I've impressed Koral, at least––look at him. He'll tell Culluh about this, and with any luck that will make our job a lot easier."

"You're the Captain, you can't go risking your life like that!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I see the Kazon woman I've just rescued scampering away from the scene of the fight, wrapping her thick black cloak tight around her and turning the first corner she comes to. "He might have killed her if I hadn't intervened," I say.

Cavit lapses into silence. I'm still watching Koral, trying to read the expression on his face. It looks like a blend of admiration, disgust, and surprise, and maybe even a hint of respect. But nothing more than a hint.

Twenty minutes later, we've reached the entrance to the underground stronghold. The two bulky guards nod their heads in deference to Koral and open the door at once, as they mutter something that must be a gesture of respect in the language of the Nistrim. I can see one of them surreptitiously wave a scanner over us as we pass through. Then we're standing in a dimly lit corridor with only one metal door leading off of it. To the right is the entrance to an equally dark flight of stairs.

Koral leads us through the first door into a sort of turbolift. "The chamber is on the bottom level," he informs us, and begins punching commands into a primitive computer interface on the turbolift wall. Then, with a slight lurch, we're moving down.

I watch a small digital display counting down what floor we're on, swallowing once to keep my ears from popping at the change in elevation. Just as the number changes to 28, the lift stops and the door opens.

This room is a harsh contrast to the spartan corridors of the rest of the building. It's circular, an unusual design, high-ceilinged and well-lit, with a curving table stretching around the far side. Only one seat is occupied. The man I presume to be First Maje Culluh rises from it slowly and steps up to greet us.

"Ah, the infamous Federations," he drawls. "I've heard so much about you. A ship that can create food and weapons out of thin air, or transport a person from one place to another in the blink of an eye." He surveys us critically, his eyes lingering on me for a brief moment before passing on to Cavit. "Which one of you is the leader?" He glances back and forth again from Cavit to Chakotay as he says this.

I step forward. "I am. This are my first officer, Lieutenant Commander Cavit, Ensign Stadi, and Captain Chakotay, another ally."

Culluh's eyes narrow. "Koral told me that a female was your commander, but I didn't believe him," he growls, staring straight at Cavit. "You expect me to negotiate with _her?_ You insult my honor and the honor of the Nistrim!"

I should have expected as much.

Koral gestures meaningfully to Culluh, and beckons him over to the opposite side of the room. Talking in a hushed voice, Koral gesticulates wildly, presumably trying to describe my fight with the man on the street. Somehow, I don't think it's going to change Culluh's opinion of me much.

Finally, they make their way back towards us. "We will begin negotiations now," the Maje says, still looking straight at Cavit.

Cavit glances warily in my direction. I fight back the anger threatening to take control and say, in a dangerously calm voice, "You will address your comments to me, Maje, or the deal's off."

He glares at me ferociously. I return the look.

"Very well," he says slowly, and turns back to Cavit. "Have a seat." We move over to the long table. The crew sits, and I take the center seat directly in front of where Culluh is standing, leaning forward with his palms on the tabletop. He moves left none-too-subtly to stand in front of my first officer.

"You say you're willing to trade us advanced technology in exchange for safe passage through our space? What systems are you offering, exactly? Weapons? Transporters?"

"We can't give you any weapons or technology that could be used to create them," I said loudly, trying to force Culluh to look at me. "But we _could_ supply you with upgrades to your shields and engines, and possibly replicators, programmed solely to create food, water, and clothing."

"Unacceptable!" Culluh barks, still refusing to acknowledge my presence, now shifting his gaze to Chakotay. "The Ogla will dominate us easily with the technology from the Caretaker's Array. We need your phasers and photon torpedoes _now _if we're to defeat them."

"My decision is final. But we may be able work out a compromise to pool our resources and destroy the Array together."

"_Destroy _the Array, you say?"

"With all due respect, we have no way of knowing that you wouldn't use its technology to dominate the other races in this region, just like the Ogla are doing now," I say, putting a little sting into my words. "You won't be able to stop them without our help, but you'll have to work on _our_ terms."

"What if I offered you a way home?" he asks, stepping a little closer to Cavit, who straightens in his seat. Their eyes meet.

I've already considered this possibility at length, and I know what I have to do. Namely, refuse. I'm about to tell him this when Cavit says, speaking for the first time since the start of the negotiations, "We'll consider it."

I glare at him. "Commander, if we could have a word alone..." _I'm calling the shots here, and even if Culluh won't acknowledge it, I'll be damned if my own first officer won't either._

"I'm glad you're willing to discuss the proposal further, Commander," Culluh interrupts.

Cavit nods, a self-satisfied smile spreading across his face, then glances back at me. "Trust me, I know what I'm doing," he mutters.

"You may have gained some information on Ogla patrol routes and security while traveling through their space," Culluh continues. "Would it be possible to––?"

"I'd like a moment to talk to my first officer in private," I say more loudly. Culluh pays me no heed, continuing his conversation with Cavit instead.

That's it. He's gone too far now. "_Look at me, _Culluh!" I shout.

"I meant no disrespect, _Captain." _His tone suggests the exact opposite.

"If you won't even deign to _speak_ to me, I can't see that we have any hope of maintaining an alliance. In that case, we have nothing further to gain from this meeting. Best of luck with the Ogla; these negotiations are over."

Tuvok

"Try remodulating the beam to a triaxallating frequency."

Over the comm, Carey grunts in agreement.

It has been an hour already, but we still have made no significant progress in our attempt to break through the Kazon's shielding. I have clearly underestimated their level of technological advancement in this area... though it is still a distinct possibility that the technology was stolen from a more advanced species.

_"It's not working..."_ Carey says.

I am about to suggest modifying the deflector as well when I hear Ensign Kim inhale sharply. I turn to face him, raising an eyebrow to form an unspoken question.

"I'm reading two Kazon warships closing in on our position with their weapons charged. No... make that three. No, four."

"Red alert." I duck under the metal railing behind the captain's chair to stand at tactical. "Raising shields, powering up weapons." I tap my comm badge. "All hands to battle stations. We are being approached by a fleet of Kazon warships." Then, to Kim, "Can you contact the away team?"

"I'm on it." His console beeps. "Damn it! There's some sort of communications dampening field up around the council chamber, I can't reach them."

"Very well. Hail the lead ship."

"Yes, sir."

As the Ensign opens a channel, I watch the man at the helm, one Lieutenant Paris, the former convict whom the Captain recruited to help us capture the _Val Jean_. She has decided to allow him to take over as helmsman when Stadi is off-duty. He seems competent, if slightly overconfident. But that is a trait of many humans.

"Channel open," Kim says.

I stare into the battle-scarred face of the Kazon commander. "I am Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, acting captain aboard the starship _Voyager. _I demand an explanation for your actions."

"Prepare to be boarded!" he barks, and slams a fist down on the computer console before him. The image on the viewscreen goes dark.

The turbolift doors hiss open, and Lieutenant Groombridge dashes out to take over at tactical, allowing me to focus solely on directing battle preparations. "Ensign Kim, can you contact the away team?" I ask.

"I'm trying, but the Nistrim have erected some sort of communications dampening field around the chamber they're in."

"Carey, have you made any progress on the transporter modifications?"

"_Negative, sir!"_

"Stadi, evasive pattern Beta-one. Prepare to jump to high warp as soon as their fleet presents an opening. Lieutenant Groombridge, fire at will."

"Aye, sir."

The Kazon ships fire their first volley. "Shields are holding," Groombridge announces.

There is a muffled explosionfrom somewhere several decks down. The lights flicker and die, plunging the bridge into momentary darkness. Then the backup generators engage and emergency lighting activates. "Ensign Kim, report," I order.

"Just before they stopped working, sensors showed some sort of explosion in engineering!" Kim shouts, over the noise of the latest Kazon bombardment. "We've lost everything but backup systems... We have life support, artificial gravity, rudimentary communications, emergency force fields, and not much else."

"Has self-destruct survived the blast?"

"Negative. And... a simultaneous set of explosions also blew both docking bay doors."

"Tuvok to all hands," I say. "Arm yourselves. Security details to the docking bays. Prepare for the eventuality of invasion by Kazon boarding parties."

Logic would dictate that this series of explosions, which came from within the ship, was part of the mutineers' plan; sabotage. If this is true, it would follow that they are working in conjunction with the Kazon, though for what purpose I am unsure. At this time, speculation is pointless.

All officers on the bridge draw their handheld phasers. We have kept them with us at all times as a precaution, in case of an occurrence such as this. But resistance, in this case, may indeed prove futile. We are outnumbered and outgunned, with no visible means of escape.

"_Security Detail One to bridge!" _a man's voice shouts over the comm. There is a noise of phaser fire, then he continues: "_We've engaged their boarding parties, but the bays are still depressurized, we're using the EVA suits! The Kazon have less mobility than us, but they're coming in swarms, we won't be able to hold them off for much longer!"_

"Hold your position. I will attempt to negotiate a temporary cease-fire with their leader. Ensign, hail them again."

"Frequency open."

"If you carry through with this attack, you will be destroying any hope of an alliance," I say.

"And when we capture _Voyager, _it will no longer matter."

"Is that so? I doubt that you will be able to operate the ship's systems without my people's expertise, as well as the command codes of a high-ranking officer. An alliance would still be to our mutual benefit." A pause. "Your logic is flawed."

"Janeway has already made it clear that she won't cooperate, but we have help from the inside. Your crew may not be as loyal as you think."

I raise an eyebrow, attempting to call his bluff.

"Would you like _names_, Federation? Very well. Lisa Darian. Kortha Domar. Masaii Takeda. Kevin Fitzgerald." He smirks at me, then mouths, "_Michael Cavit._"

Janeway

I stand and tap my comm badge, taking some twisted pleasure in the expression of disbelief on Culluh's arrogant face. "Janeway to _Voyager. _Tuvok, we're finished here, prepare to beam us back up once we reach the surface."

No response.

"_Voyager_, come in."

Cavit glances over at the guards by the door, then focuses on my face. "I'm sorry it had to come to this, Captain..." he says quietly.

_Come to what? What's he talking about?_

The passage of time slows as I see his hand brush the phaser on his belt. Then I realize that he's aiming not at Culluh or the guards, but at _me. _Just as he raises it and fires, I throw myself to the ground, roll, and come up on the other side of the table. The blast hits the wall right where I was standing. I tackle Culluh just as he starts to reach for the weapon at his side, grabbing him around the legs. We both come crashing down.

Next to me, Chakotay stuns a guard and reaches up to fire at another. _At least I was right in trusting the Maquis, _I think, and continue to grapple with Culluh. He has the advantage of size, but I may be able to beat him if I can get to my phaser...

I fumble around for the weapon, but a Kazon soldier's foot kicks it out of my hand. It lands a yard away on the cold stone floor. He fires at point-blank range, but I dodge and throw one of the heavy wooden chairs at his chest, ignoring the stinging in my hand from where I was injured during the knife fight. Without looking to see if it's done any damage, I grab at my switchblade just in case and dive for the phaser, grab it, and fire at an approaching guard. He drops to the ground, stunned.

Next to me, Stadi falls, wounded in the shoulder by a Kazon weapon. Too late, I hear Chakotay yell, "Captain! Behind you!"

I turn instinctively to see Cavit standing across the table from me, Kazon disrupter in hand. Before I have time to react, he pulls the trigger.

The last thing I see before blacking out is the gun in my trusted first officer's hand, and the strange expression on his face, sort of regretful and triumphant all at once.


	4. For Their Own Good

Note: I've done some editing on the previous chapters. No major plot changes, though, so there's no need to reread them. It should just flow a little more smoothly now.

Chapter Four: For Their Own Good

Cavit

_Why did she have to be so damn stubborn!?_

I meant what I told her; I never intended it to come to this. Never _wanted _it to come to this. But as her first officer, I have a duty to protect her, and her crew... even if she doesn't want that protection. Even if 'protection', here, involves shooting her and imprisoning her in an underground cell.

It was for her own good.

When I asked him, Tuvok gave some astronomical odds _against _our surviving the year without outside help, based on the frequency of attacks by the Kazon, how much more damage _Voyager _could realistically sustain, the time he estimated it would take for the Ogla to finish upgrades on their entire fleet and begin a full-scale invasion of the other sects' space, and a number of other factors. He later pointed out that there _was _a slight possibility that his logic could be flawedIf there's one thing I like about that man, it's his refreshing bluntness. Vulcans don't soft-peddle the truth.

I honestly had no intention of following through with my plans for the mutiny if she would just see past her ego and accept the terms of the alliance. She must have walked in there with some idea of how Culluh would act towards her, but she insisted on jeopardizing the alliance by conducting negotiations herself. I couldn't just step back and allow the entire crew to pay the price for her lapse in judgment.

I know a good number of them agree with me. Maybe not with my methods––hell, sometimes _I _don't agree with my own methods––but they do acknowledge the need to bend the rules a little. How much worse can we make the situation, anyway? We've only leveled the playing field a little. There's still a distinct possibility that the Ogla and the Nistrim will eventually reach a stalemate, with neither one dominating the other, occupied entirely with fighting each other rather than conquering the rest of the region. We might actually be protecting the other species in the Delta Quadrant.

And then there's the Maquis. I didn't look forward to the idea of working with them, but I _can_ recognize the need to find allies wherever possible. I might have––no, _would_ have––kept looking for them under different circumstances, but Culluh dictated very specific terms for our alliance when I tapped into an encrypted comm channel to make a deal with him the day after we met with Koral. After capturing the Array, we'll use it to send _Voyager _and her entire crew back to the Alpha Quadrant. But Culluh still wants a more advanced ship to study once we're gone. He can't have _Voyager, _which leaves only one option: I must capture the _Val Jean, _and deliver it to him.

The means to that end sits in front of me.

I spoke with her soon after the idea of mutiny first started to take shape in my mind. Somehow she found out about my plans. I don't know how. She asked to help me. She's dangerous, I can tell that much, but she may be just what I need to fulfill the terms of this ephemeral alliance.

"Chakotay trusts me implicitly," Seska says, "but that trust is misplaced. Tuvok wasn't the only spy among the _Val Jean_'s crew."

"Who are you really working for, then?"

"The Cardassian Union."

_A Bajoran, working for the Cardassians?_

"I'm sure you're wondering why I would be working for the race responsible for the brutal occupation of my planet," she says.

"A telepath as well as a spy?"

She gives a short, harsh laugh at this, then continues. "Actually, if you were to have Doctor Fitzgerald run some thorough scans on me, you might find your answer."

"How long will this take?"

"Not long enough for Chakotay and _Voyager_'s crew to become suspicious. I'll just tell them you kept me waiting for several hours before our meeting, and that when we did speak, I refused your offer of helping the mutineers right away."

"Very well."

Janeway

Cold, hard cement presses into my back. All my senses seem unpleasantly muffled, save for a sharp, throbbing pain in the palm of my left hand. A lone questions fights its way up through the fog clouding my mind: _How did I get here? _Immediately followed by, _Where exactly is 'here'?_

It might help if I could actually see my surroundings. With enormous effort, I force my eyes open to be treated to a view of what appears to be a jail cell––and a tiny one, at that. Three walls, thick metal bars where the force field would be in _Voyager_'s brig, a ceiling, and a floor of concrete. So I'm not still on board...

Of course. Rakara.

I jump to my feet, ignoring the lightning bolt of pain that shoots through my head at this sudden motion. Much to my dismay, Cavit isn't within strangling distance. He must be laughing his head off at my naiveté. All those hours of consulting with him and Tuvok on how to protect ourselves from the threat of mutiny... But why Cavit? I know we didn't always see eye-to-eye, but I had no idea it might go this far.

The world spins sickeningly, and my vision goes momentarily black. When it clears again, I'm leaning against the wall breathing hard.

There's a small metal grille to my left. I turn my head and glance through to see the concerned face of Captain Chakotay. "You're awake," he says softly.

I thank him mentally for this effort to keep my headache from getting any worse. "How long has it been?"

"About a day now, I think. It's hard to tell here, with no natural light."

_An entire day? _"That disruptor he shot me with must have been set to something a little above stun," I say, looking down at the large area of charred fabric on my uniform jacket.

"In all fairness, from what we've seen of the Kazon, that could well have been the lowest setting."

"It's still sore." I send a quick glance towards the other side of the room. There's someone sitting there, cross-legged, hands clasped together with two fingers pointing up at the ceiling, eyes closed, meditating.

It's Tuvok.

What the hell is HE doing here!?

"_Voyager––_she _did _escape, didn't she?" I ask wildly, pressing my face up to the metal grille to get as close to Chakotay as possible. An uneasy expression crosses his face. "_Captain!_" I prompt.

"According to Tuvok... _Voyager_'s warp drive was sabotaged by the mutineers, Doctor Fitzgerald among them. The ship was taken by Nistrim boarding parties within the hour."

_This is not happening, this is NOT happening... How could Tuvok allow himself to be captured!? And how could I be so stupid as to walk into an enemy stronghold with the threat of mutiny still hanging over my head?_

Slouching dejectedly against the stone wall on Tuvok's right is former convict Tom Paris. In the cell next to theirs, B'Elanna Torres paces like a caged animal. Her hair is disheveled and a livid bruise spreads across the side of her face. She must have been involved in the battle with the boarding parties.

So... the two senior officers on the ship, not counting Cavit, of course, the Maquis, and Paris, a former Maquis. The people he doesn't trust. But there's someone missing...

"Carey and Seska were here, too," Chakotay says quietly. "They took Carey earlier in the day, Tuvok and I tried to tell them we were the senior officers so we should go instead, but they wouldn't listen. They got Seska just a few hours ago."

A wave of nausea slams into me. "Carey––I told him to act as a double agent to spy on the mutineers."

"So you _knew _about the mutiny all along!?" Chakotay shouts, drawing a cold glance from one of the guards at the door.

"Nothing definite. But... Carey... Cavit knew!"

"They won't hurt him."

"Yesterday, I might have believed that." I move over towards the cell bars, staring at the two armed guards by the door. "I want to talk to Cavit and your Maje!"

They glare at me briefly before continuing to stare stoically ahead.

"Will you convey as _message _to Cavit?"

Still no response. It might be easier if I had Chakotay do the talking, as my prior experience with Kazon warriors has shown that they're not very fond of conversing with females, but I'm not quite _that _desperate yet.

Cavit can't keep me here forever. Sooner or later, we'll need to talk. In the meantime, I'll just have to hope that the _Val Jean _or some unknown ally comes to our rescue. Or better yet, begin to plan an escape myself. If I had a phaser, it would be easy to slice through the metal bars of the cell as if they were butter and go on to free the rest of us. However, I can't quite see the guards just handing me one out of the goodness of their hearts... There's such a thing as too much optimism.

As I try to imagine another possible avenue of escape, the hall door opens quietly and someone steps in bearing a several trays of food. She certainly doesn't look like a Kazon. Blond hair, fair skin... She turns her head, and I catch a glimpse of a pointed ear. Ocampa? How did she get here?

That man we met in the Ocampa settlement, Daggin... He mentioned a friend who'd gone to explore the surface and never come back. Kes, if memory serves. If she was captured by the Ogla who once inhabited the mining settlement we'd come across, and they took her with them when they left the planet, she might have been taken during a raid by the Nistrim. Or the Ogla could have sold her to them as a slave. I don't know how else she could have made it off Ocampa; as far as I know, her people have no means of leaving their planet.

She hands me the last tray of food through the bars, along with a mug of water, then backs away quickly, never once making eye contact. I'm about to take a bite when it occurs to me that it might be poisoned, or drugged... But Cavit wouldn't do that, would he? Poison, no, but some sort of sedative... maybe.

Across the room, Tuvok finishes his meditation and opens his eyes. "Captain, you are awake," he notes. "Are you well?"

"As well as can be expected under these conditions, I suppose."

He looks down at the tray in front of him. "If you are concerned that the food may be drugged, perhaps I should try it first. Vulcan physiology is immune to many substances that may prove dangerous to humans." He takes a sip of the water. "It has no unusual flavor. It is most likely safe." Then, trying the food, "Its taste is... pungent. However, I am feeling no ill effects. I do not think it is harmful."

"Good, I'm starving." I pick up a piece of the substance with two fingers––they haven't provided us with any utensils––and examine it. It looks like some sort of root vegetable, colored a virulent orange.

When I try it, the taste goes far past the mark of 'pungent' and into 'revolting' territory. "I've had a lot of prison rations in my day," I hear Tom Paris say, "and I must admit, these are pretty awful."

Then the door slams open a second time and Seska stumbles in, flanked by two guards. One puts his hand up against a scanner by the door of B'Elanna's cell. The computer bleeps in acknowledgment, and the door grates open. He shoves Seska in and lowers the bars again, then both turn to leave.

"Seska, are you all right?" Chakotay asks.

"I'm fine. Cavit talked to me... asked me to join the mutineers."

"And what did you tell him?" B'Elanna asks.

"No, of course!"

B'Elanna grimaces and settles back against the wall.

"Did Cavit say anything about his plans?" Chakotay asks.

"Just that he would be gathering any of _Voyager_'s crew that were loyal to him and helping Culluh to capture the Array."

"What about the layout of the compound?" B'Elanna says, more quietly this time. "If we could escape, would you be able to find a way out?"

"I tried to keep track of the way to Cavit's rooms, but I think they were leading me in circles just to confuse me. All the corridors look the same."

Yet again, the door bangs open. This time it's Cavit, accompanied by two more uniformed guards. "Excellent, more guests!" the ever-snarky Tom Paris remarks loudly.

Cavit looks daggers at him then says, "Captain Janeway, if I could have a word?"


End file.
